by Brian Quest
“It’s about James, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. I figured we would have had the talk last night, but him not coming home today has me worried.”
“You really are something else, Deb. You are so much like your mother.” Andrew looked at his oldest daughter with love and pride.
“She taught me well, Dad.” Then, changing the subject, she said, “Dinner is done, can you call the girls and I’ll ring the bell?” She loved ringing the bell on the back end of the porch. She found it amusing how, no matter how hard the guys were working, the second they heard the bell, they would be there, as if they snapped their fingers and appeared.
Andrew had brought another chicken to Debbie that morning, so she was delighted to make chicken pot pie for dinner; it was one of her father’s favorites. As they happily ate their dinner, Debbie wondered when her father was going to begin his “talk”. Just as she finished her thought, her dad began to talk.
“Girls, I think it’s obvious James still hasn’t returned from his fishing trip. Obviously, this is a problem.”
“Aw, Dad, you aren’t going to say we have to stay confined in our rooms now?” Beth said, pouting.
“No, I’m not going to say that, smarty pants. What I am going to say is we have to be extra vigilant. Something is not right, and it worries me. I don’t want anything to happen to anyone in this room.”
“What is migilant?” Amy asked, causing everyone at the table to laugh. They all found her cute and funny, and at times like these, she definitely could get people to forget their troubles.
“Vigilant, Amy,” Andrew said.
“Okay, what is vigilant?”
“It just means we need to stay on our toes. You know, pay really, really close attention.”
With eyes wide, Amy said, “Oooohh. Why didn’t you just say that?”
“You’re right, it would have been better for me to say that.” Andrew couldn’t help but chuckle at the conversation. Kids were such simple creatures at times, and he really knew he could learn something from this little one.
“Don’t worry, Dad,” Debbie started, “I will make sure the girls and I stick together. You guys just make sure you stay safe when you go on your safety checks.”
Again, Andrew found himself filling with pride at how grown up his daughters had become. Then his youngest spoke, “Does this mean we won’t have fish for winter?” With all that was going on, and when he figured Amy would be most frightened, she surprised him with her worry over not having enough food for everyone for the winter. “We will make it work. We still have a little time to get fish.”
While they finished their meal, they went over safety strategies. None of the men noticed the small amounts of whispering the girls had been doing. After the dinner dishes had been done, Debbie and Connie decided to take Beth and Amy upstairs to get ready for bed and leave the men to talk downstairs. Debbie made sure to put some coffee on before going up, something her dad was thankful for; he knew they wouldn’t be getting much sleep until they figured out what happened to James.
Upstairs, out of earshot of her father and the other men, Debbie and Connie ushered their younger sisters into Debbie’s room. “Come on, we have a lot to plan,” Connie whispered.
“What are you talking about?” Beth asked.
“We are going to figure out who is moving the rocks, and we’re going to find out what happened to James,” Connie answered.
“Um, Dad isn’t going to like that,” Amy said, almost too loudly.
“Shhhh! He isn’t going to know!” Connie said in a sharp whisper.
The girls spent the better part of an hour hatching their plan. It wouldn’t be easy, but they all had their jobs to do, and it made them feel important to be doing something that ultimately would help the entire ranch. They all turned in, excited about the coming days, and each dreamt of the events that possibly could unfold.
CHAPTER THREE
THE MORNING SUN let the girls know that a new day had begun. They got up and did the same thing they did every day, beginning with finding something to wear. The girls dug through their closets, trying to find something they hadn’t worn in a while. They were down to only the basics, having not had the opportunity to go to town and shop like they used to do. They all chose their favorite jeans, and when they came downstairs they laughed at the fact that they all had chosen to wear their favorite old sweatshirts; each one with the Chicago Cubs written across the chest. They never had gone to Chicago, but Debbie always had imagined herself visiting the big city one day. All four of the girls were baseball fans, and all liked to remember the days of watching the games with their dad after finishing their chores. They were also fans of loyalty and dedication, and loved how loyal the fans were to the Cubs.
Debbie got out the ingredients to make corn bread and began her task, while Connie grabbed the eggs her dad already had gathered and began making scrambled eggs. Beth got the coffee going and Amy set the table. Being the youngest, she always got the easiest of chores, and while she liked that some days, other days she wished she could make the food. She knew her time was coming, and waited patiently.
After the men finished their safety checks, they all gathered around the table and talked about the day’s chores. The weather was getting cooler and cooler every day, and everyone knew that soon the snow would be making its way to the ranch. So a lot of chores revolved around preparing for winter. Keith and Stewart began their wood collecting and chopping, knowing they would need four times as much wood as normal. Sometimes they would let Amy help them stack the wood, and she was hoping her father would let her help them later in the day. While they were chopping wood, Thomas made sure the hay was stacked in the barn for the horses, and the grain was brought from the outbuildings to the barn. It was important to keep the corn feed close so they didn’t have to wander in the snow to bring it to the horses.
James hadn’t returned from his fishing trip yet, and while they all worried, they all hoped that him being gone so long meant he was catching a ton of fish to be stored in the cold shed for the winter. Some would be smoked, more would be canned, and some would be eaten right away to prevent it going bad.
Andrew not only made sure the cattle were safe and healthy, but he also kept watch over the ranch, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone off in the distance, watching them. For a while now, he had been concerned, but he did everything he could to keep the girls not only safe, but unaware of his worry. Throughout the day, he would look in on the girls, and knowing that soon they wouldn’t be able to go outside as much, he decided to let them all help Stewart and Keith with the wood. They stacked it along the side of the shed, on the porch and even inside the house, making sure there was enough to keep them all warm, and also to run the stove.
Before dinner, he noticed the girls all were huddled together on the porch talking about something. He went over to them, hoping they were okay. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing, Daddy,” Amy answered, looking a little bit suspicious. She kept her eyes trained on his boots and not his face.
“We were just planning dinner,” Connie said, hoping to keep their father from suspecting they were up to something.
“It looks like more than just dinner planning. What’s going on?” He always knew when there was something going on, especially when Amy wouldn’t look him in the eye.
“We’re just worried about James. He’s been gone for so long.” Debbie was always the voice of reason, and right now she was also the voice of a group of plotting girls. Her sisters all wished they could be like her.
“Well, I’m sure he’s fine. I bet he comes home soon with a pile of fish!” Andrew said to his girls, smiling. He needed to make sure they didn’t worry too much. Andrew went inside to clean up and could smell the stew simmering over the fire. He loved when Debbie made stew in the fireplace. It reminded him so much of Sandra, and made even the coldest days a little bit warmer.
Once they were sure their father w
as out of earshot, they began planning for their first night of finding the rock moving culprit.” We have to talk quiet and fast,” Connie said, enjoying being sneaky.
“Okay, so, Amy and Beth, you guys are gonna be in charge of keeping watch from your bedrooms. You will have to keep the windows open a little bit, so make sure you bundle up. If you hear or see anything that shouldn’t be, you will need to let us know.” Debbie spoke like she had planned a million covert operations.
“How?” Amy asked.
“Well, caw like a bird. That way nobody will know what’s going on.”
“What will you and Connie be doing?” Beth asked.
“We will be outside, looking for the person moving the rocks.”
“That’s bad! You know Dad said we can’t go outside without one of them with us.” Amy said, almost a little too loudly.
“Shhh! We will be fine. We will be together, and we will have our shotguns.”
“You better be careful, or Dad will ground you forever!”
“Amy, really, do you think we are dumb enough to get caught? Just make sure you guys are keeping watch. You are going to be listening for Dad also. If you hear him get up, caw like a bird and then hop in your beds so he thinks you are sleeping.”
“Fine,” Amy said, pouting. She didn’t like sneaking around, and she didn’t like keeping things from her dad. On the flip side, she was a little excited at the prospect of catching the rock mover!
After dinner, the girls waited impatiently for the time to come when their father would go to bed. Wanting to leave no chance for their father to figure out that they were up to something, they all got into their warm pajamas, thankful that it was cold that night. They sat by the fireplace and read books while the men enjoyed some decaf coffee and the rest of the corn bread from breakfast. Connie was getting frustrated because it didn’t look like Thomas, Keith and Stewart would be going out to check the perimeter of the ranch.
Finally, Debbie nodded to Connie and said, “Well, I’m tired. I think I’ll turn in now. Goodnight everyone.” She walked over to her father and kissed his cheek and then waved at the others.
“Yeah,” Connie said, “I think I’ll go to bed, too. Come on Beth, you and Amy should probably go to bed, too.” They happily agreed because they didn’t like deceiving their dad and knew they would feel better if they didn’t have to keep looking over at him.
They all pretended to go to sleep, and shortly afterward, they heard their father make his way up to his room. When they knew it was safe, Debbie and Connie quietly made their way outside, shotguns in hand. Watching from their bedroom windows, Amy and Beth thought their older sisters looked funny walking around in their nightgowns and winter coats holding shotguns. With Thomas, Keith and Stewart at the far ends of the ranch, Connie and Debbie walked confidently…at first. The first twig that snapped stopped them both in their tracks. Amy giggled at the sight, but quickly stopped herself, hoping she didn’t’ wake her dad.
The first night was a little nerve-wracking for the girls, and they cut it close. Keith and Stewart were already at the barn, so Connie and Debbie hurried back to the house and tiptoed in, trying to be as quiet as possible. Debbie ran her foot into the chair next to the fireplace and it made a loud thud.
“Shhhhh,” Connie hissed.
Debbie mouthed “Sorry!” and then they made their way up the stairs and instead of going into their own rooms, they met Amy and Beth in Connie’s room. They all collapsed on the bed, silently giggling and wiggling around. They were so proud of themselves for pulling it off, but were a little bummed out that they didn’t catch the rock mover in action.
This routine went on for another two nights, and while they didn’t catch anyone lingering around, it was still fun and exciting for them. The third night was the coldest, and it also marked a week since James had left to go fishing. They knew he should have been back already, so they were a little more nervous to be out there, not knowing what had happened to him. Amy and Beth didn’t want them to go out there because the wind was blowing hard, and they were cold in the window watching for intruders.
It seemed to Beth as though time was dragging, so she moved to Amy’s room once Debbie and Connie moved to her side of the house. Together, they huddled in the window, watching for any sign of life other than their sisters. They got so cold they went to get blankets.
Debbie and Connie made their way around to the back of the house, Connie staying a considerable distance behind Debbie. She only had gone a few steps when Debbie felt a strong hand grip her shoulder. She let out a scream that Connie never had heard before. Spinning on her heels, Debbie raised the shotgun. There in front of her was James.
“You scared the devil out of me!” Debbie said, breathing hard. She didn’t like that while she was scared witless, James was grinning.
“Who is it?” Connie asked as she rushed over.
“It’s James,” Debbie said, not happy at all with the fright he gave her.
Within a minute, not only had Connie reached the spot where Debbie and James stood, but so had Andrew, Amy, Beth, Keith, Stewart and Thomas. They all were shocked when they heard the scream and ran without even thinking. They all stood there for a moment, not sure what to think.
CHAPTER FOUR
EVERYONE STOOD AROUND JAMES, startled by Debbie’s scream, hearts racing. It was a moment that created a lot of tension, and Andrew had spent much of his time trying to keep tension out of his daughter’s life. He stepped forward, torn between wanting to cheer James he was home and wanting to ring the young man’s neck.
“Where the heck have you been? You have been gone for over a week!” Andrew asked, obviously conflicted.
“I am freezing, man. Can we go inside and talk?” James said, hoping they would welcome him inside.
“It is cold out here,” Andrew started. “We should all get inside, especially you, Debbie and Connie.”
Debbie saw the look on his face and knew he was angry and had questions. She was definitely not looking forward to the conversation they were about to have, so she walked slowly, not caring how cold she was getting. Amy and Beth hurried inside, prepared to let their older sisters do all the talking. They hoped their father wouldn’t even consider the thought that they had been involved in whatever went on outside.
Once inside, the girls were told to sit by the fireplace, and Andrew went to make some coffee and hot cocoa. When he returned, he sat down and glared at James. He struggled to find the words to say, praying that what he was about to hear wasn’t some lame excuse for why James was gone over a week for a two-day fishing trip.
“Well, what happened?” Andrew asked.
“I planned on coming back in a couple of days, but it was so peaceful out there, and the fish just weren’t biting. So, I stayed until I caught some fish.”
“You weren’t down there, dude.” Andrew said, calling him on his lie. “We checked the area, and there was no sign of you. We saw no smoke from a fire, and it was obvious that nobody had camped in our area.”
“The first day I caught no fish, so I moved up the way a bit, to where the water was bigger.”
“You should have come back after two days.” Andrew was frustrated. He wanted to believe his ranch hand, but James’ story just didn’t sound believable.
“I know, and I’m sorry if I worried you. Look, in the morning I will show you the fish I caught. I put them in the shed. I even can show you the spot where I finally found good fishing.”
“I am really having a hard time believing you. I feel like you left, found something better and now you are back…Why?”
Feeling the pressure to answer the questions correctly, James said, “I came back because this is home.”
“Well, you don’t leave home, and leave the people at home, stay gone and make them worry. And you definitely don’t come back in the middle of the night and expect a warm and fuzzy welcome. What really happened while you were out there?”
“I told you. I went fishing. They weren�
��t biting so I moved upstream. They were really biting up there, so I stayed until I couldn’t catch any more. Then I came home.”
“Why so late at night?”
“By the time I caught the last fish and packed up it was already late. I had taken the tent down and didn’t want to spend the time to put it back up, so I just headed back.”
Andrew realized James had an answer for everything, so he dropped it. He had plenty of time to worry about what really happened later. “How much did you catch?”
“Three totes. I tell you, it was heavy! Thank goodness the sled could hold it and still slide over the ground with no snow! I had to take all my camp gear out of the one tote to fill it with fish.”
Impressed, Andrew said, “Well, thank goodness you are okay. Did you see anyone while you were out there?”
“Not a soul.” There was a look on his face that Andrew wasn’t too sure about, and he decided he would need to keep an eye on James for a while to make sure he wasn’t up to something. Then he turned his attention to the girls. “What in the name of God were you doing out there?”
It was the moment Debbie had been dreading. Since it was her idea in the first place, she knew it was only right that she be the one to talk. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. She couldn’t look her father in the eyes while he was so upset with her, so she looked at the floor as she spoke.
“I’m sorry, Daddy.” It had been years since Debbie called him that, but at that moment, she felt like a little girl. “We were just trying to catch the person who had been moving the rocks. And then we were worried about what happened to James.”
“If you were worried that something bad had happened to James, then don’t you think that was a clue that you shouldn’t be out there…especially at night?” He said, teetering on the line between anger and heavy concern.
“I know, but we wanted to help. All we do is cook, and we wanted to be more help. We thought if we caught the person coming on our property, it would be one less thing for all of you guys to worry about.”